Ink and Sword
by Harbinger Loki
Summary: 50 theme-1 sentence challenge. As the battle for Icecrown comes to a peak and the Argent Tournament was underway, how were two of the faction leaders taking all the changes?


Ink and Sword

50 Themes 1-sentence Challenge

Pairing: Thrall x Jaina

The challenge was taken from the 1-sentence community on LJ with their permission

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**01 - Ring**

He fingered the small band of silver on her tiny fingers, as she slept so soundly beside him on the butte of Razor Hill and didn't know if he was fingering a hidden part of her past or a promise to herself to end the hostilities of their people, and their cycle of hatred.

**02 - Hero**

Whenever Thrall opened his eyes, the sky blue orbs almost otherworldly to Jaina Proudmoore, she felt a sharp intake of breath come to her and take her breath away as if lightning had struck her knees causing her body to wobble in some sort awe, for Thrall was the one thing to his people that she was unable to be to any of hers.

**03 - Memory**

Closing his eyes, silently while lying on a stack of reports and papers requesting his attention, the war chief of the horde could, for an instant, feel a chain, a rough metal yoke across his neck, making his breath come in almost terrified pants, feeling the dark soul of a man, completely taken by the taste of liquor, driven mad by desperation and pride, and when he would open his eyes and hear the soft tinkling voice of Taretha, he would only see a mage with concerned blue eyes, almost unsure if he was staring in the past or the future.

**04 - Box**

Tapping her fingers against the wards, up against the tent of the Warchief, she spoke softly, the winds of the sandy dunes beating the sides of the tent they were residing in, soundless against the runic lettered wards, as if the winds were keeping them inside, trapped to the roles of war chief and princess.

**05 - Run**

Touching upon the ground, the ice and snow flailing wildly in the wind, two figures chasing the darkest of shadows where two more people reside, Orc and human, human and orc, and Jaina could only wonder whether or not they were going towards death or victory.

**06 - Hurricane**

The blast of wind and water spraying upon her face left no question of his quiet fury, for his life, for his people, for a friendship that they loved and yet had to destroy for the world they lived in was intolerant towards them and the world they wanted, for a utopia to only be lost in the whirlwind of events and a path of fire and destruction.

**07 - Wings**

It was the first time in a very long time that Jaina Proudmoore felt so light in both her mentality and physical demeanors as she took a running start, then a leap off from the top of the Violet Citadel in Northrend, casting slow fall, to slowly drift back to the earth below her and to the cold reality of her position once more.

**08 - Cold**

They said some mornings that her eyes didn't show emotion and yet every morning that Thrall watched those eyes open, watched them blur from nightmares and dreams into their quiet reality, he could only see the cold grip of her fears dissolve before him, her mouth only moving to speak the name of the one who caused those fears in another lifetime where she was once a young woman with her first love.

**09 - Red**

The banner of the horde had always been shown with the bright vibrant red due to the amount of blood the orcs had shed for their conquests, wars, and the demise of their innocence and Thrall kept it, not because of complacency, but because of the fact that he knew the orcs should never forget their past of death and destruction while forging on the path to a new culture filled with a bit more peace.

**10 - Drink**

Staring at the wine bottle, a gift from Ambassador Dawnsinger-as her people were quite the type to grow the wonderful vineyards-the war chief could only see a human man with a beard and insanity upon his once-perhaps handsome face, before he saw the mage reach over and pour a small bit for him, and instead began seeing her soft smile as the man took a sip of the offered cup.

**11 - Midnight**

Ghosts were supposed to appear at midnight and sometimes Jaina and Thrall could both swear, that if they had opened their eyes to look into the hallway nearby, they would both see a blonde-haired human with a glance of wistfulness before they disappeared only a moment later as if the apparition had never appeared.

**12 - Temptation**

It was sitting there, just beyond her reach as the mage of Dalaran watched the war chief of the Horde smirk good-naturedly in her struggle to get his stash of chocolate from his hands which where mockingly above his head and out of the grasp of her hand as she jumped up, brushing against him as she did.

**13 - View**

When Thrall was a child, he could only see the world from a small window where the bars obscured his view of the world of feet in shoes and the practice ring far away, but as he grew up beyond the windowed basement, he could only feel a small appreciation and regretfulness when things to him were as simple as that view when he was a child.

**14 - Music**

Unlike most nobles, Jaina was not as well-mannered as other ladies, often having broken her own instruments to chase away the responsibility of learning musical rote, so when Thrall stumbled upon the conversation, bringing up compositions she had never heard of-let alone taken the chance to understand-, she was floored to be completely ignorant to him, whilst Thrall simply smiled, enjoying for once to know something about her own culture she chose to ignore.

**15 - Silk**

The one type of sheets that Jaina had never let touch her body again were silk-woven, bringing the memories she had buried in her past of a blonde with glowing eyes, and the other blonde with sea green eyes, keeping her twisted in her old maiden daydreams of them both pressing her into a bed with roses, and as her fingers rested upon Thrall's sheets, she nearly smiled to herself for they were cotton as simple and clean as the war chief.

**16 - Cover**

Throughout all of her intentions and good will, Thrall had never seen her body move so fast as her first love shot a lance of ice towards Garrosh, who had his hamstrings cut, unable to move out of the way in time, before they both watched her cry out in a sharp yell of pain, the lance breaking through her shield just enough to break her shoulder and collar bone on one side, leaving Hellscream's son to be in awe of the human he disdained as the ice fell right beside Jaina and himself.

**17 - Promise**

A burning bright ember danced on the flames in the fire festival pit as the scream echoed throughout Grommash hold from one young orc named Garrosh Hellscream, who made everyone wince-many covering their ears in anticipation of his visits (Goblins started selling ear plugs outside of the Hold much to Thrall's chagrin), and only made those in the epicenter of his open mouth sigh with pained expressions as they each remembered that though Grom Hellscream had perhaps been as foolhardy, they would promise themselves each meeting, that they would not allow another Grom Hellscream to be born from reckless actions.

**18 - Dream**

Some nights, when the war chief hadn't been truly aware of it, the figure with the cut off head from the battle of Durnholde would have brighter blue eyes and a warm smile, peaceful in its respite, and instead of Blackmoore, he would see Admiral Proudmoore, holding his own daughter's head, throwing it at him, repeating his last words that he had mouthed to his daughter, whilst her mouth on its decapitated head would cry out that Go'el had failed her, like he had failed Taretha and Sergaent and Grom.

**19 - Candle**

Taking her time in the library that she called her study, mess everywhere, papers and quills, magical inscriptions on the walls, Jaina paused in the wintery room, as her window had been left open and swore, with her heart jumping ten million paces in near surprise and expectation, that the flames died down with the visible smirk from the ghost wolf at her window, before she started with a reddening blush on her cheeks from the realization that this was not just any other ghost wolf and felt something girlish and utterly foolish jump in her heart.

**20 - Talent**

The figurines on the floor map of the two worlds, a magical concoction of an undead mage named Sofara Starfyre, only made Thrall watch as his plans and strategies formed on it, dancing in and out of placing with a few words and a pointer, gifted to send whatever units he wanted to whichever place was pin-pointed, and with each plan, informative suggestion, well-reasoned strategy, the human-trained orc frowned in thought, fearing the day he would use this talent for battle against his favored neighbor to the south of him.

**21 - Silence**

The quiet gnawed on Go'el's mind as the war chief raced under the bulk of snow that had fallen on the united armies of the Argent Crusade, turning this way and that as the only thing on his mind was to find a familiar face in the striking white blizzard, wanting to find anyone, and yet as he moved almost frantically, he saw the purple-blue cape, runed in gold lettering, flapping and only wished as the quiet stretched and he ran for the colored cloth, that he would hear words to break the quiet disturbance that seemed so unnatural to anything but death.

**22 - Journey**

The first time his hand held hers in a handshake as was customary of her customs, Jaina had frowned to herself at the realization that the prophet was making her follow along with the orc named Thrall, and yet years later, as they stood side by side, watching their people get ready for another battle together against a common enemy, she knew that they had come a long way as his fingers brushed against her own, before shyly taking them, half hiding their accepted hands in the folds of her cloak from the world.

**23 - Fire**

Perhaps it was the light on the wall, after a few rounds of shadow things, which Jaina had done admirably against Voljin, despite his winning, when the human woman turned towards Thrall, blood humming loudly in her ears, breath taken from her body, as he laughed, making her skin tingle with the fire of his mirth, not knowing how soon after his laughter that Jaina felt his hand firmly against her waist and decided in her half-drunken state that that this night of celebration of the Midsummer Festival was much better than any other one she had had before.

**24 - Strength**

With a yelp, a bubbling well of laughter afterwards, Jaina's head swam from sudden vertigo and joy, smiling down at the orc who's shoulder she had been hefted onto as their light game of wrestling, well, her version as she was trying to make Go'el laugh with her fingers, before she felt his quiet laughter follow her own and realized, despite his appearance as he let her sit on his shoulder, that she should never underestimate his true strength from the fingers that had crushed skulls were now holding her in place with true gentleness.

**25 - Mask**

Thrall's eyes graced over her simple human form and came to the words that she was simply and undeniably strong, despite the grip on her staff with knuckle-white hands, the bitten lower lip, and the slight tremble of her slight shoulders as she took one of her knuckle-white hands, outstretching it with the full clarity of her situation clear from her eyes, and even though he was truly gentle in their handshake, the orc could never shake the feeling of her shaking fingers and trembling form as they agreed to work together.

**26 - Ice**

Jaina would wake up in the middle of the night, when she was having nightmares and would often frown in thought with only a glance around to the room, making her entire study and living chambers as cold as frostmourne's blade on a Sunday morning and would wonder what nightmare made her speak such spells in her sleep.

**27 - Fall**

With the thunderous steps of her father, little Jaina ran in her memories to greet him and smile and laugh, like any other child of her age, and when she was older she almost forgot her manners and did the same, yet when she saw her father's rage at Rexxar's presence, felt the lash of his words as she tried to protect her peace, nothing came through to her as he tossed her aside like the forgotten rag doll her Aunt Yennika had made her when she was seven and presumed her leadership.

**28 - Forgotten**

The mail came frequently for Jaina, lots of letters from Stormwind's parliament trying to convince her of new laws to kill the Horde, news from her own spies, and usually a friendly few letters from her supporters, yet as frequently as the mail came, she had never received a letter from her older brother in three years, and she had to wonder if she was truly just forgotten or if he considered her dead for what she did to their father.

**29 - Dance**

The mage blushed darkly, flushed with embaressment and a bit of the spirits she had with the war chief as the somewhat drunk Thrall-as drunk as he would ever allow himself-smiled openly at her, welcoming her in his happiness and then leaning down to her cheek, speaking a soft lyric or two from the song that was being played, her face turning towards his and accidently-maybe even a little on purpose-kissed his green lips before he drew back, tilting his head at her with a warm gaze.

**30 - Body**

The war chief's hands held her own as she compared their differences in her mind, trying to convince herself that she couldn't possibly be even remotely attracted to someone with green skin, the warmest and kindest personality, and yet her convincing did nothing to her as she realized, she loved the color of his skin, the brightness in his eyes, the kindness, and most of all, with his head resting ontop of hers, that she was looking at not his body and their differences, but looking at him completely with no regrets in her slightly bruised and a bit battered heart.

**31 - Sacred**

Misaza Wolfrunner covered her face as she was the lone guard in front of Thrall's personal rooms for the night, hearing the dark moans and soft screams of the war chief and his human, knowing that for their war chief and his mate, -though a strange one for his choosing, for he could have any woman in the Horde - that this was their secret night, well, as special as her war chief made it and thus, the little Kok'ron elite could only stand there, blushing to herself as she listened to their coupling, being the only one to know that something different and sacred was happening before her own ears.

**32 - Farewells**

He smiled to himself, drawing the little mage to him, kissing along her neck before softly embracing her in his arms, happy and relieved for more than over half his life, letting her go as she got up, beaming a soft smile to Go'el, before he got up and kept kissing her silly as she tried to futilely get dressed to go back to Theramore, before a quick ice spell on his feet with laughter, a blown kiss, and a poof of smoke.

**33 - World**

Many days later, a break came in the form of an invitation by the leaders of the Violet City, and Thrall took Garrosh with him, for the young orc to see a world that had been untouched by orcs, for the youth to only rashly throw it aside and hate the ceremonial garb he had been tossed into for the convenience of the meeting's purpose.

**34 - Formal**

Standing beside Varian Wrynn, a small amount of distaste on Jaina's lips at the hatred rolling off the war king's body as he sent daggers in his glares towards Garrosh, whom was being kept on a tight leash as the Argent Tournament was discussed by Tyrion, Rhonin and Vereesa, and both major leaders of the factions, and all she wanted was to reach over to Go'el, pressing her hands to his and enjoy the comfort that only he brought in their world of war, but formality above all was to be observed and she kept the urge at bay.

**35 - Fever**

The next week or so, during the meets with Tyrion and the stay of Varian and Thrall in the Violet City, both welcomed in their respected faction's sanctums, had the crowds of Dalaran in a fervor of pride and cheerfulness, with Jaina and the war chief sneaking along the walks of the Violet Citadel and her inn room, bursting with passion of secrecy they needed so desperately and yet they lingered each time in the other's company until yet another night past until he was to go back to Orgimmar.

**36 - Laugh**

Aegwynn was not pleased with watching the young Jaina, acting like a chit half her maturity, and could only sigh at the laughter of her blissful face as the magna shook her head at the arch magus's apprentice, for in their world, for all the love there was to be hardly found, she could not help but want to have Jaina's laughter continue despite the repercussions that would await the young woman when her liason with the war chief might possibly be discovered.

**37 - Lies**

The blade was pressed into her neck as the war king roared at the mage woman, cursing her, asking her, for who was her alliance with, for whom she served willingly, and the only answer that would not have that blade pressing into her neck, she could not say for it betrayed the man she loved more than Arthas, more than her people, more than anything and she would save him with the lie of peace and Medivh's wishes.

**38 - Forever**

It only took one breath for her world to crash down around her ears, for her mind to blank out in surprise, as she heard the words resound from Magna Aegwynn and knew with one look that the elder mage was right, despite the rationality that tried to dissuade the Magna's opinion in her mind as her fingers caressed the softness of her stomach.

**39 - Overwhelmed**

She did not see Thrall for that week, uncertain what to say, unsure of what to do as her answers to delegates and treaties from Stormwind continued to pour in, despite her deterrence to their rabid idealogy of genocide, to only be set aside with one line letters proclaiming that she was to uphold her small kingdom's laws and none others, and the mage could only feel herself disappear as she tried to get away in her books and her chambers.

**40 - Whisper**

Her fingers slipped into his white fur as she slept, Thrall, shifting out of his ghost wolf form, frowned in thought as he glanced towards her book-covered desk, then towards her more comfortable bed and placed the naval princess into her sea of covers, leaning over to whisper in her ear, before slowly moving to slip in beside her.

**41 - Wait**

She woke to the feeling of warmth, comfort pressing into her sides before slowly opening her eyes to see a very tired orc with black hair in messy braids and a worried frown upon his body as his thick green fingers caressed her face and hair and she knew that he would stay until she spoke.

**42 - Talk**

The war chief spoke slowly to her, telling her of the situations in Orgimmar and his concerns before their matters settled into their personal lives, with his mouth opening and closing a soft melody to her very human ears and her very human body and altogether she knew that they would make something work with words or otherwise.

**43 - Search**

The warchief had heard she had went, to see if there was anything left of the previous man she had loved, if there was anything to redeem or if she had made the wrong or right decision when she turned her back on the prince of Lorderaen and the only thing he could do, the only thing he could stand to do in front of his troops was to allow his fellow leader take at Jaina Proudmoore's heels in a different part of the citadel they were trying to break through and keep his eyes hooded from Garrosh's fire as all of the men and women began the siege for Icecrown's Citadel.

**44 - Hope**

The last time he had taken to his full armor, a long time ago, was when he went to help down in Silithus with the war of the sands, so when he had his elites pull out his special battle armor, sliding the linked plate and mail leg armor with all of its enchantments up his legs, the Doomhammer in his grasp, his helm shining against the snows of Northrend with the elemental lightning shivering in his body, the entire horde knew it's war chief was in the fight with them.

**45 - Eclipse**

As Jaina fought, ice searing into her skin, breathes hard fought for with each second from her clenched mouth as her hands held onto her staff, facing the only one she had never thought to lay a hand on her in harm, the fight seeming more futile with each moment until she heard-more than saw- the clatter of feet of the adventurers of the Alliance that had followed her before she broke off from the lich king and retreated with her soldiers intact, panting, hopeless, and truly heartbroken.

**46 - Gravity**

It came in waves, the tears flowing down her cheeks as she watched the pompous king that she had helped place back on his throne take a moment and let a father through the crowds of Alliance soldiers to get his dead son, Deathbringer Saurfang, from the steps where he had been felled and each man took a bated breath as the legend walked by with not an axe but tears upon his orcish face.

**47 - Highway**

Injured in the Skybreaker's infirmary, Jaina fought against the nurses there, exclaiming that she needed to get back to the fight, for it was her fight and it wasn't until night, when they left her alone in a private cabin on the skyship that she fell into sobs, wrapping her fingers tightly around her knees to only stop at the soft woofing at her door and with uncertainty lacing her thoughts with each step she took to open the wooden door, Jaina saw the ghost wolf and knew she was not alone on this fight with herself.

**48 - Unknown**

Running blindly in the citadel was not his preference for a strategy, however, it was the only thing available to him as his scouts were finding it harder and harder to move around the undead sentries that would pass in their journeys, thus Thrall's eyes were limited and his orders were explicitly simple for their fighting and if his horde saw any Alliance, making the orc to pray to all the spirits that the place where Jaina and the Alliance had gone in was hopefully not making them as shortsighted as his front was.

**49 - Lock**

There would be time later for emotions, Jaina reminded herself repeatedly as her soldiers ran through the halls, Varian leading the pack, when they were surprised by the Lich King, by Arthas Menethil, and it took all of the mage's self control to not break out in a sob but to bring out the steel of her backbone and knew that despite her worry and her hopelessness for Arthas along with the undercurrent of hope for Thrall and his safety, that she was not to let emotion hold her until this was done.

**50 - Breathe**

Battered and bruised, parts of her body screaming in agony, fingers reaching up to the dark sky before they were caught by an orc's rougher hand, Jaina felt the skin more than heard or saw him, smiling softly despite the pain that tore into her sides as healing magic was pressed into her frail human body and saw the clear blue eyes and the soft roguish smile take hold as they breathed together in a moment away from the hard battle in the citadel.

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Part of this was done before the Icecrown Patch and the last ten was done after (if you really can't tell)- so I hope it didn't take too much liberty. I can't wait to raid ICC one day.


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